20 May 2008...7:10 am
Monarch Butterfly [Poem]
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Monarch Butterflies
Regal autumn travelers
robed for mediaeval pageantry
in velvet orange and black
Moving in great procession
on tissue wings
from Canada to Monterey, the Sierra Madre
The North American Continent a court for this lepidoptery
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Photos ©2006-2008Poem published with authors permission! |
16 Comments
20 May 2008 at 8:01 am
I don’t think I have ever been “first” to the comment feast you always get.
Love the photo, and I have to love a poem that uses the poetically challenging word of “lepidoptery”.
Good for you, Tom–for sharing this Maxwell Wheat poem with us.
20 May 2008 at 12:46 pm
That is wonderful, and the photo is stunning.
20 May 2008 at 12:55 pm
Great, crisp picture. New banner? Monarch butterflies are certainly regal, and seen all over.
20 May 2008 at 12:56 pm
Meant to add - this picture has them on their most famous host plant.
20 May 2008 at 1:56 pm
a beautiful poem - honestly for probably the king of beauty in the butterfly world! Bravo!
20 May 2008 at 1:58 pm
Lovely poem. I wrote one back in jr. high that mentioned “tissue paper wings,” so I had to chuckle at that.
I so worry about the monarchs, though, considering the bad luck they’ve had over the past few years. The freak freezes in Mexico, the deforestation of their lands there, etc. My fingers are crossed for these beautiful little guys.
20 May 2008 at 4:45 pm
Beautiful image and poem Tom
20 May 2008 at 5:46 pm
Very nice poem and picture. My last year’s milkweed is growing fast. I planted some seeds from the seed pods early this spring but nothing is growing from them yet. It will be fun looking for the eggs on the leaves again.
20 May 2008 at 7:49 pm
Max you have done it again. Your poems get me all stirred up. The photo isn’t bad either Mon@rch.
20 May 2008 at 9:20 pm
Milkweed already? (is that swamp milkweed?)
Ours are barely peeking through the grasses.
But, it’s nice to be teased with what will soon be coming our way–once the rains and cool weather pass.
20 May 2008 at 9:46 pm
@ KGMom – so glad you were the first! Max finds a way to explore expressions!
@ Bird Lady – Thanks
@ NatureShutterbug – thanks and changed the banner back in January! Thanks and BTW: love the hummingbird post you did!
@ Aullori – thanks and for sure an amazing migrant! Max is so wonderful with his words!
@ Lana – such a perfect way of describing its wings! I can’t wait to see my first this year!
@ Bernie – thanks
@ Linda – thanks and glad to hear you milkweed is growing! The monarch’s will be very happy!
@ Lisa – didn’t he do wonderful! Thanks
@ Nina – Actually this is a photo from a few years ago! I have not even seen any milkweed growing yet!
21 May 2008 at 2:16 am
Your mascot! It’s a lovely photo, and an equally lovely poem.
21 May 2008 at 8:16 pm
I love the poem and the photos–can’t wait to see the first monarchs here.
22 May 2008 at 4:10 am
Dreaming about things to come? Great photo.
22 May 2008 at 10:17 am
Tom!
What a great picture and poem. You must be aching for the monarchs to return too. I get so impatient for them to return every spring.
I thought at first that you had already sited your first one of 2008. I was SOO jealous, but then looked at the blooms on the milkweed and figured it had to be a picture you had taken before.
What type of milkweed is this? The leaves look like swamp milkweed, but the florets have longer stems than mine, and the color seems more pale purple than bright pink. Just curious.
Over here (the next county over) the milkweed has sprouts, but because of the cold and rain it is growing very slowly and the leaves have not opened yet. Swamp milkweed (incarnata) sprouts are about 2-4″ tall, and common milkweed (syriaca) is about 1 ” tall. Butterflyweed (tuberosa)hasn’t broken the ground yet.
Take care!
Barbara aka “monarchmama”
22 May 2008 at 11:04 pm
Check out the Journey North website. May be a bit before we see monarchs. I’m waiting for the tiger swallowtails.
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